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>> bill: hey good to hear from so many of you like thomas who says thanks for giving me an alternative to morning joe. hey, just call us morning bill. donald francis adds mitch mcconnell's crying about being a minority and not having his voice heard. hey, how about the majority of us whose voice is not being heard because he's so bought off. good point. d says i was absolutely appalled at the number of members of congress who signed the grover norquist pledge. you were spot-on by calling them traitors! and harmony wants us to know her opinion as to why black friday exists peter. i'm from wisconsin she says and grew up with many hunters in the family. the day after thanksgiving was always a big hunting day. black friday started with hunters' wives going shopping because all of the men were out hunting. >> i know a lot of hunting seasons kick off now. >> bill: you know what? that makes a lot of sense to me.

they're hunting for deals. >> announcer: this is the "bill press show."

[ ♪ theme ♪ ] >> bill: good morning everybody. welcome to the "full court press" this wednesday morning. november 28. great to see you today. thank you for jumping on the "full court press" bus. that's a mouthful. as we head out from our nation's capital. to tell you what's going on today and of course look forward to taking your calls at 1-866-55-press. how about this. everybody's trying to figure out why john mccain and lindsey graham are so busy attacking

susan rice. well maybe it's because -- think about this, if the president can't appoint susan rice, then he would have to appoint john kerry and that would open up a massachusetts senate seat for scott brown. so it could all be a way of getting back another republican in the united states senate. don't know for sure. just sayin'. all right. we'll look into that and a whole lot more here but first standing by with today's current news update, lisa ferguson in los angeles. hi lisa. take it away. >> hey bill, thanks. good morning everyone. as president heads to meet with leaders of the business world this afternoon politico is reporting that john boehner and his leadership team are making plans to meet with some of these very same executives. now the irony here is that obama and boehner still have no plans to meet themselves face-to-face. the two did meet before congress' thanksgiving recess along with the other two three members of the house and the

senate. they had plans to meet again this week but still nothing is scheduled. it is not a great sign and shows that the two groups are practically incapable of working together. the last time obama and boehner tried putting together a big deal over the budget, that completely collapsed and this time around, the american people are getting less and less optimistic that congress will be able to reach a deal before the tax hikes and spending cuts kick in just 33 days. it is going to look bad for congress if they cannot get this done and some republicans are saying it's time to give in. politico's also reporting oklahoma representative tom cole told his g.o.p. colleagues yesterday to move forward with the president's he plan to extend the tax breaks for everyone except the top 2%. cole said that he does not agree with raising taxes for anyone but that it is time to take care of the majority of the american

people first and fight for the wealthy later. that bill made it through the senate back in july but it still has not made it through the house. we're right back. you're about to watch an viewer created ad message for little caesars who proudly salutes united states veterans everywhere. >> clarksville is a small town on the tennesse/kentucky boader and it is a really great place to raise a family. my name is lloyd allard i was a chief officer in the special forces, i was in the army for 23 years. i have made 1400 parachute jumps. well, my experience in the military was varied. i spent a lot of time in iraq, a lot of time in kuwait. i did two tours in iraq and i decided it was time to do something different with my life. i saw little caesars as a way to give something back to my family. the little caesars veterans program provides financial support and equipment when you open your store. the little caesars veterans program give me a sense of ownership and pride in my business because i am the owner of this business.

as a former military person i did not have the business experience and little caesars provided the training and support along the way to get that experience. my family and i all work together in my little caesars stores. tanya and i have have four children and three of them are involved in the management of the little caesars stores. it's a real privilege to be able to work with them after so many years in the military i wouldn't see them for months on end now i get to spend every day working with them in the stores. my stores are very involved in the local community. we're involved in the little league programs and we're involved in the red cross. mr. and mrs. ilitch they founded little caesars are my personal heros because of the dedication they put into this program and the dedication they put every day in their lives into helping other people.

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>> announcer: broadcasting across the nation on your radio and on current tv, this is the "bill press show." >> bill: the republican war on women continues. with john mccain and lindsey graham and they're all-out attack on susan rice. good morning everybody. happy wednesday november 28. great to see you today. and welcome. welcome to the "full court press." here on current tv and here on your local progressive talk radio station. good to have you with us today. wherever you happen to be in this great land of ours.

whether you're in the car on your way to work, at home, getting ready for work, listening or watching, you're part of the program an important part of the program. we give you a chance to talk about, not just to learn about what's happening this morning, what the big issues are. here in our nation's capital around the country or around the globe. but expressing your point of view sounding off on the issues of the day. you can easily do so by giving us a call at 1-866-55-press. we're ready to take your calls. ready to read your e-mails and your twitter comments and your facebook comments on twitter at bpshow. easy enough. sign up. facebook, same thing. facebook.com/billpressshow. we've got this chat room that goes on every morning with listeners and viewers joining each other to talk about the issues of the day. you can do that by going to current.com. and following the click to the chat room and join your "full court pressers" across the land.

a lot going on today. the house and the senate are back in session. we know that because we're right here down the street from the united states capital building. we saw them all coming in with their school books yesterday. marching back into town. hopefully they'll get something done. don't count on it. >> hopefully huh? >> bill: maybe the day before they go -- leave town again for their christmas break. >> that's how they usually do it. >> bill: they may get something done. good morning team. peter ogborn and dan henning. >> good morning. >> bill: phil backert on phones. cyprian bowlding as always on the video cam. good to have you all with us. so mirror, mirror on the wall. who is the sexiest man of all? do we know? >> it is a tough question to answer. i know who the sexiest person in this room is. >> bill's right here. >> bill: so the onion of course, put out a special

edition a month or so ago saying that they thought the sexiest man alive was kim jong un. >> row under it. >> bill: the new 2-year-old head of north korea. we knew it was a joke. except the people of korea. they put out their leading newspaper -- >> in china. the chinese communist newspaper -- >> bill: this is great. one of ours has been declared the sexiest person on the planet. neil cavuto yesterday reported that story and then followed up by introducing john mccain to talk about susan rice but they got back and forth on the sexiest man alive. >> by the way i thought you were the sexiest man alive. >> you know, i was encouraged, senator. he's a bit chunky. this could be paving the way.

but enough about me. >> maybe you were separated at birth. but anyway -- >> this is going to be a tough interview now senator. would have been nice but you've gone the other way. >> bill: i like neil cavuto. i've been on his vo many times. if i had to list the top 1,000 candidates for being the sexiest man alive, he would not make the cut. >> i don't think anyone has ever called himselfy before. >> bill: i don't think so. not even his wife. ever. coming up, karen bass, congresswoman from california, former speaker of the house in california, speaker of the assembly in california is going to be our guest in studio. so will victoria jones from talk radio news be here as a "friend of bill" and danielle from the center for american progress and president obama about to go back on the road campaigning. but first... >> this is the "full court press." >> some other headlines you need to know on this wednesday. staffers in john boehner's office got quite a show

yesterday. protestors showed up and stripped completely naked to protest cuts to a.i.d.s. programs. several men and women chanted for about ten minutes in the nude completely. in the speaker's office. though he was not there at the time. "buzzfeed" reports three women were arrested for lewd and indecent acts. the video is readily available online. uncensored. >> bill: why just the women arrested? why weren't the men arrested? >> because the women were more resisting. i guess the men put their clothes on quicker than the women did before -- when they were threatened. >> let me say this. having seen the video multiple times, i have to do my research -- the women that showed up, pretty good. >> they were rather attractive. >> they looked good and they had good bodies. the guys -- >> bill: just one guy. >> one guy i saw who got naked. and he looked like a white version of kim jong un.

he was a man of large carriage. >> bill: didn't turn you on. >> except in all of the wrong areas. >> bill: i love the fact that -- what surprised me was that this protest was not done by code pink. where is benjamin when we need her? >> we'll get her in here. >> who knows. she might come in neighbored if we ask her. >> bill: we've never had a guest naked on our show. >> keep hope alive my friend. keep hope alive. >> bill: we could have had some guests by phone naked. >> that's true. >> bill: how do you know? >> you're opening up that can of worms now. gee, peter why didn't you tell us? >> i don't know. we have phone guests every now and then, they may have been naked. >> bill: when i first got to l.a., the ken and bob show in the morning, i used to listen to it and they had a segment every week that they would have naked

callers. it was naked radio. the caller would have to pledge that they were naked and they would call in and talk. it was so funny. >> 1-866-55-press is our phone number. if you're naked call us now! >> thank you. we're worried about drones and war zones now celebrities are worried about drones in hollywood. "san francisco chronicle" reporting that tmz.com has applied for a license with the faa to operate drones to follow celebrities in hard to track areas. the hollywood gossip site is denying the report saying they have no interest in getting into the drone business. we find that hard to believe. >> bill: i gotta tell you if anybody doesn't need a drone they don't. they have the best sources. of i think every news outlet in the country. >> absolutely right. >> we lost a union brother yesterday. a baseball legend that actually never even set foot on a playing

field. marvin miller was the head of the player's union in the '60s '70s and '80s. he introduced free agency into the game and made players into multi-millionaires, ensuring they got their fair share for their work for the owner. when he started in the union players were earning about $6,000 a season. baseball's revenue was $50 million a year. today revenue is $7.5 billion a year. marvin miller was 95. >> bill: tell me if i'm wrong but players -- most players are making a little bit more than $6,000. >> a little bit. >> they make that a pitch. >> bill: hey how about it. boy, let's talk about this. i love this story. so the lead story on the front page of "the washington post" today, right here on the top right-hand side, obama launches p.r. effort on cliff the fiscal cliff, of course. putting pressure on congress, president will talk to small business owners.

so here's what's going on. right. with this fiscal cliff looming the president has laid out -- very, very clear what he's talking about, what he wants to see. it is a $4 billion package of cuts to the deficit a combination of spending cuts and new revenue and about $2 trillion of that coming from getting rid of the bush tax cuts. at the same time while getting rid of the tax cuts for the wealthiest 2% of americans letting the tax cuts for 98% of americans continue because the middle class do need the help and the wealthiest people do not. so to get there of course, and by the way let's back up, right. the president put forth his plan on november 6th and mitt romney put forth his plan and the american people said no, we don't like that romney way of going which is to continue to coddle the rich. we agree with president obama.

so now the negotiations are underway. about how to avoid going off the fiscal cliff. and what is the president doing? yesterday, he met with small business leaders. at the white house. the white house met with leaders of jack lew, the chief of staff. met with leaders of the chamber of commerce. today the president is meeting with some middle class americans who would be severely impacted if the middle class tax cuts were to expire. what this article really references is the president the white house announced yesterday is going on the road on friday, he's going back. he's going up to pennsylvania. going to visit a toy store -- last saturday, he also visit at small business, bookshop with his daughters. in arlington virginia. to make the point. the president is going out there, the white house now says he will be going around the country and building up popular support for his plan and putting pressure on congress to pass his plan and republicans are

suddenly whining and crying. mitch mcconnell says yesterday, this is terrible for the president to be out there campaigning. >> rather than sitting down with lawmakers of both parties and work out an agreement he's back on the campaign trail presumably with the same old talking points that we're all quite familiar with. >> bill: mitch mcconnell says he ought to be talking with me. me and john boehner and eric cantor and let's go back to all of the meetings like we had. back when we were trying to fix the debt ceiling crisis and he should not only be talking with us, he should be talking to those democrats. >> people he needs to be talking to, members of his own party so he can convince them of the need to act. >> bill: then just to show how totally shameless mitch mcconnell is, he accuses president obama of creating political villains. >> we're not going to solve this

problem by creating villains. drumming up outrage. >> bill: unbelievable. >> we'll solve the problem by doing the hard work of sitting down, figuring out a solution that involves tough choices. >> bill: oh, shut up. here is my question to you. you think president obama's right? in going out on the road on this? do you think the president is right in in effect, campaigning. and using the bully pulpit and going around the country and building public support for a tax break for 98% of americans. damn right as far as i'm concerned. you tell me. 1-866-55-press. and i'll tell you why. number one because as the president said during the campaign at one point if you remember, change in washington doesn't come from inside of washington. it comes from pressure outside of washington, on washington, forcing these lazy good for nothing lawmakers, so many of them, the house republicans, to get something done. number one. number two the president learned his lesson. good for him. he learned his lesson.

sitting down every minute you spend with john boehner or eric cantor or mitch mcconnell is a minute wasted. because they sit around the table and they just sit there glum for the photo spray right. and then they go out and attack the president walk outside. stab him in the back. and agree to absolutely nothing because they're unwilling to compromise. they have been for the last four years and they still are. they still refuse to accept the fact that they lost -- they tried to sell their ideas to the american people. they lost the election. so is the president right of going on the road? absolutely! i'm glad to see him do it. you know what? you know what he's doing? exactly what ronald reagan did! >> whoa, whoa, careful, bill! how dare you invoke the name the holy one! >> bill: that's exactly -- i think the president is right on. how about you. 1-866-55-press.

let's talk about it. >> announcer: this is the "bill press show." live on your radio and current tv.

[ ♪ theme ♪ ] >> announcer: heard around the country and seen on current tv this is the "bill press show." >> bill: 24 minutes after the hour. congresswoman karen bass joining us in studio in the next segment. we're talking about president obama taking his show on the road to get the support of the american people for a tax cut -- you wouldn't think you would have to go out and put pressure on congress to give 98% of

americans a tax cut. but it shows you how out of touch with the american people, the republican leadership in congress particularly are. peter, what have we got going on? >> online, we're not only tweeting at bp show. we're in the chat room. current.com/billpress. barbara in d.c. in the chat room says republicans used to put country first. remember that, mccain? >> bill: now it is grover norquist. >> it is more than a slogan. grover norquist seems to take precedent. patty says also in the chat room, the republicans remind me of a boyfriend that you leave because he was a jerk and then he does every jerk thing possible because you denied him. >> bill: that sounds like lindsey graham to me. by the way i thought jay carney had a great point on this why isn't the president meeting with these republicans? why is he wasting time talking to real people? jay carney said let him say it. >> only inside the beltway do people think that -- sitting in

a room for photo spray will solve necessarily problems. the work has to be done and that work is being done. >> bill: yeah, right. sitting around with the photo spray, the journalists -- the reporter's short hand for letting the cameras come in and get a picture of everyone and think that accomplishes something, it doesn't. it is a waste of time. any time spent with john boehner and eric cantor and mitch mcconnell, total freakin' waste of time. dan's in concorde, california. what do you say? >> caller: hi, bill. how are you doing? >> bill: good, thank you. >> caller: you're look great. i actually got up early just to watch you. >> bill: oh, my god. good for you. after the show you can go back and take a nap. >> caller: but i haven't got clothes on. >> bill: good for you. >> caller: seriously, there are three things. personally, i think it is horrible that president obama has to go on the road and go to

the american people and basically rewin the election all over again. >> bill: yeah. it is less than a month has passed and already right you got it, dan. >> caller: republican party is dragging their heels because oliver norquist is much more important than bill the plumber. remember bill the plumber? joe the plumber. >> bill: it is grover norquist. and joe the plumber. right. >> caller: joe the plumber doesn't matter anymore okay. oliver norquist matters. >> bill: grover norquist. >> caller: he's the only person that matters to the republicans is norquist and to be frank with you, the only way to deal with this, all right, is what we did in california. right now in california, we have a supermajority. all right. so basically the republicans can

go sleep or don't show up and we're going to pass legislation anyway and jerry brown will get to do what he wants for the next two years. >> bill: absolutely. that's why we need a filibuster proof majority in the united states senate. dan, good to hear from you. nikki in seattle washington. hey, nikki. >> caller: good morning. i agree. oliver norquist should be put up against -- taken care of. i just wanted to suggest that your road kill jokes come to mind that that isn't respectful. i suggest president obama is now the decider in chief. he should use this opportunity to start sending that capital -- the democrats failed to control the message in 2009. >> bill: you're right. no no. nikki, you're right. but i think they've learned their lesson. i think the president's learned his lesson and his advisers at the white house and they're dealing from strength now and go out and maximize it.

it is grover norquist! >> announcer: this is the "bill press show."

>> announcer: chatting with you live at current.com/billpress this is the "bill press show." live on your radio and current tv. >> bill: good morning everybody. welcome back. again to the "full court press." it is 33 minutes after the hour now. we're coming to you live from our nation's capital and our studio on capitol hill. and brought to you today by afscme the good men and women of afscme under president lee saunders, the largest public employee and healthcare worker's union in the entire country making america happen.

indeed. you can check out their good work and find out more about what afscme's up to post-election at their web site, afscme.org. and we're very proud and pleased to welcome into the studio at this time, a good friend from california former speaker of the california assembly, now representing the 33rd congressional district of california in the united states congress congresswoman karen bass. congresswoman, nice to see you this morning. >> thank you. thanks for having me on. >> bill: welcome back to washington. >> glad to be back. it is a little chilly. >> bill: it is a little chilly right. there are high expectations that you guys are going to come back and get together and sit down and solve this problem and avoid -- save us from going off the fiscal cliff. which, of course, requires both sides to be willing to compromise. do you think republicans are ready to? >> i think that we've seen some

shifts. i think that they've been sending certain signals out. that they're willing to change. and first and foremost, they're beginning to question the power of grover norquist. finally! maybe his house of cards will come tumbling down. >> bill: are they really though? because when i listen to them, right, they say yeah, we need -- we accept that we need new revenue, right. but we're not going to raise the -- we're not going to let the bush tax cuts expire. we're not going to let rates go up on the wealthiest of americans. aren't they trying to have it both ways? >> i think they are. but the fact that they've vocalized the word "revenue" for the first time and they also are not qualifying it by saying that it has to be revenue neutral there has to be an equal amount of cuts, you know, so i do see a shift in their tone. a shift in their language and then you have heard a few members saying they're not going to sign the pledge. you've heard a few senators saying they're not going to abide by the pledge. and you just didn't hear that before.

>> bill: no. >> so i think there are signals that are out there that they're going to change. i actually have come back quite optimistic. >> bill: that's good to hear. now -- because there's so much pessimism raining in washington these days. we're both from california. is it possible here that california is sending a lesson or a message to these republicans in congress. they really blocked any progress in california. the republicans did for a long time. >> right. >> bill: look what happened. the american people turned on them. you can explain better than i what the situation is in sacramento today for the california republican party. >> well, i'm so excited for my state, for our state and also for the state legislature because they have tools now that we just didn't have a few years ago and the reason they have those tools is because the voters voted to one give the legislature majority vote for a

budget so california is no longer one of three states. there's now the supermajority. so in both houses, there's 2/3 controlled by democrats. california's voted for taxes. californians voted for the same thing the president is proposing. >> bill: exactly. >> going back to the tax rates for those who earn $250,000 and above and so with those tools alone, california has the possibility of raising revenue. you know in the time that i was there, our budget was $110 billion. by the time i left, it was $83 billion. so the cuts to schools in particular have been absolutely devastating. finally, californians have taken a chance and are going to reverse that. >> bill: california voters said we're willing to raise taxes on the wealthiest and they also said if those republicans are just being obstructionists standing in the way we're going to get them out of the way. so you are hopeful that things

can come together. the president today -- the white house announced yesterday the president is going to go on the road. he's going up to pennsylvania. to a toy factory small business on friday. he's going to be making trips around the country to build support for this tax cut for 98% of americans. and republicans now are saying no he ought to stay here in washington and meet with us. [ laughter ] is the president doing the right thing? >> i think he's doing absolutely the right thing. he's going back to the american people. that's where he needs to go. he's already been very clear. the bill that needs to be on his desk is passed out in the senate. all which have to do is pass the bill. i'll give you another indication as to why i think things have changed. one republican representative cole is saying why don't we just go ahead and do the senate bill? that's unheard of. he's saying go ahead and just let the tax cuts expire.

on the -- the top 1%. and pass the bill right away. and so i -- you just didn't hear those statements six months ago. >> bill: tom cole is one of the most powerful members of the republican leadership. he told them in their caucus, you guys are making a mistake. as a party, we should pass that -- that bill that already passed the senate which would give that tax break to -- actually, we keep saying -- i do too by the way, i don't mean to be critical, 98% of americans, it is a tax break for 100% of americans because everybody gets a tax break on the first $250,000 of their income. by the way, on the republicans and the chairmans peter, we were talking about the story about the committee chairs the other day. love to get your comment on this. >> great story. from a story done by john stanton, our friend from "buzzfeed." he points out a couple of facts here.

republicans seem to be acting like it is 1912, not 2012. yesterday they appointed their 19 chairs of their committees, all of them men. all of them were men and not only that, by the way republicans also pushed a border security bill through yesterday so all of this talk about problems that republicans have with demographics, with hispanic community and women they seem to throw that all aside. >> bill: i would have to add 19 white men. they're the only people they could find as chairs for their committees. it says something about the difference between the two parties, doesn't it? >> absolutely. all you have to do is watch c-span and look at the floor of the house. you can see the lack of diversity on one side and the other half of the room that looks like the united states. i thank it was even sad within their leadership, they fought, you know, a woman kathleen rogers who was running for leadership position and she had opposition. she ultimately won.

so if they weren't careful, they were going to have leadership all male as well. >> bill: back to the fiscal cliff for a second, we talked about their unwillingness still to entertain letting the tax -- the bush tax cuts expire. they also say yeah, we're okay. for new revenue as long as democrats are willing to accept entitlement reform. what do they mean when they say entitlement reform? >> see, i do think there is room to make changes in entitlement but i think what they're talking about is essentially breaking the guarantee that our country has had for decades with seniors. and in terms of fundamentally changing medicare. i don't know. let's see if they resurface paul ryan's voucher proposal. let's see if they resurface the bill that paul ryan proposed right after bush was re-elected. bush 43 was re-elected. when he went on a tour around

privatizing social security and paul ryan was the first one to author that legislation. so let's see what they mean and i know democrats will never stand for breaking the guarantee. >> bill: that, in fact is what they mean by entitlement reform. senator dick durbin was over at the senator for american progress yesterday and he made it very, very clear that when the word entitlement reform is used or the phrase, there's one thing it should not include. here's senator durbin. >> i think we should take social security off the table for the current fiscal cliff and deficit discussion but be very honest about what we're going to achieve in the near term. i think we should create the equivalent of a simpson bowles commission for social security and give them eight months to a year, a directive to come up with a plan to buy 75 years of solvency for social security. >> bill: social security is really a different issue isn't it? >> absolutely. it is. i would agree with senator

durbin absolutely. i'll give you a reform in medicare i think democrats would support. and that is looking at prescription drugs. and making it more competitive. >> bill: amen. >> or really crackening down on the fraud that takes place through the medical devices which is not with individuals cheating medicare. they're fictitious businesses set up that rob medicare of billions of dollars every year. so it's not as though changes to entitlement programs are completely off the table. it is the structural breaking of the guarantee that should be off the table. >> bill: isn't it interesting when president obama did identify $716 billion in fraudulent billing on the part of insurance companies and cut that out that they accused him of cutting benefits in medicare. >> well because what benefits were they concerned about. the benefits to big businesses. >> bill: exactly. congresswoman karen bass in studio with us. we'll welcome your calls and comments at 1-866-55-press. the "full court press" continues

in just a minute. >> announcer: heard around the country and seen on current tv, this is the "bill press show."

these talking points, that the right have, about the "heavy hand of government" ... i want to have that conversation. let's talk about it. really? you're going to lay people off because now the government is going to help you fund your healthcare. really? i want to have those conversations, not to be confrontational, but to understand what the other side is saying, and i'd like to arm our viewers with the ability to

argue with their conservative uncle joe over the dinner table. >> announcer: this is the "full >> announcer: this is the "full court press." the "bill press show" live on your radio and on current tv. >> bill: here we go. 13 minutes before the top of the hour. the "full court press" this wednesday morning. victoria jones my colleague from the white house. press corps. covers the white house for talk radio news is going to be here in studio as a "friend of bill" for the next hour. another "friend of bill" right

here in studio with us this moment. congresswoman karen bass. from california's 33rd congressional district. part of greater los angeles. nice to see you in studio. >> thank you. >> bill: peter you've been following the social network there. >> we're tweeting at bpshow at bp show. you can find us there. we've been talking a lot about lindsey graham and john mccain and kelly ayotte and their crusade against susan rice yesterday. dave writes in -- >> bill: yesterday. it has been on-going. >> yesterday they put themselves out in front of the camera again. dave says mccain and graham have backed themselves into a corner. if they back off now, they would lose more face than they already have. pat says mccain, graham, shut your damn mouths. quit compromising american security. >> yes. >> honey bear kelly who has the best name on twitter says -- we were saying one of the issues -- >> bill: is that honey bear kelly ayotte? >> no.

not honey bear kelly ayotte. we were saying one of the issues would be if obama was to appoint john kerry then scott brown might weasel his way back into the senate. honey bear kelly says scott brown just lost an election. does anyone think he can win one now? that's a valid point. he's a loser. >> bill: what do you think of the campaign against susan rice? >> i have found it incredibly offensive. you are talking about a rhodes scholar, somebody who has 20 plus years in the diplomatic corps. also what that person tweeted. we're in the middle of major international issues. she's dealing with syria gaza, the congo. she's still our representative to the united nations. so while we're talking this foolishness about her appearance on a tv talk show, what signal is that sending to the rest of the world? i do think they've got themselves backed in a corner now. i think the other agenda going on is the senate race. so i think that it needs to stop. i hope it will today. i know she's back on the hill again today.

>> bill: she is. first of all, it is unfair at so many levels. i think it is sexist and racist. ambassador to the united nations, god knows is not responsible for security. embassies and consulates around the world number one. we talked about this earlier. number two, all she did in her appearance on the sunday shows and in her testimony right after the incident in benghazi on the hill was say here is what our intelligence agencies are telling us at this point. we don't know everything about it yet. you know. and that's -- that's kind of classic. you never know, right? immediately, all of the facts. >> but also petraeus, when he was on the hill a couple of weeks ago said that one of the reasons why they added in the talking points was because they were in search of the people that did the crime. and they didn't want to tip them off. and so they thought it was compromising for her to have gone on five talk shows essentially giving away what

potential leads were for them to capture the suspects. >> bill: let's welcome another friend from california, from mareno valley, california, southern california -- >> absolutely. >> bill: astacia is on the line. >> are you from twitter? >> yeah. >> how is it going? she tweets with us all the time. nice to hear your voice. >> anyway, i'm calling about a couple of things. first, representative bass, make sure -- we just got our new district 41 in california. we got our own district in riverside. and we have a new congressman -- openly gay teacher. >> marc satano. >> we worked for him. he's a gem. show him the ropes and get him at the right lunch tables because he can do a lot of things. >> you know what? i'm going to see him today and

tell him that. i was out there campaigning for him so he's already a friend and we've absolutely embraced him and we'll do everything that you just said. >> bill: when i was democratic state chair of california, he was a member of the executive committee. >> oh. >> bill: i worked closely with him fet. he was one of our most powerful people and helpful people in southern california. >> that's great. >> bill: another point? >> the other point i had was scott brown, john kerry susan rice, the whole thing. ed marquis i heard from a friend of mine who knows people. he's actually considering the run if it comes up. he's been talking about it for awhile. >> bill: okay. ed marquee is a great -- duval patrick, even if scott brown were to run there's no -- >> that's right. >> bill: so given all of this controversy, do you think it's more likely or less likely that president obama would appoint susan rice as secretary of state? or nominate? >> i actually think that it is

likely that he will. i think he was also just offended at the attacks on her and made that clear in that press conference. >> bill: i was there. >> oh, you were. >> bill: he meant it. he was annoyed. >> well and i'm hopeful that he will make that nomination. i really am. and i was watching one newscast that talked about the potential votes and i do believe if he makes the nomination, that she will get through. i think they'll torture her in the process. but i think that she will get through and she will be confirmed but you know, ultimately, i really think that mccain -- this is an embarrassing moment for him. to be hanging on to an issue like this when if anybody knows better, he knows how -- can you imagine if she would have done what they wanted her to do on the talk shows? then the attack would have been she gave too much information. >> bill: exactly. i know. i agree. we had someone on our program a

couple of days ago congresswoman calling john mccain and lindsey graham the fading divas of the republican party. >> i like that. >> bill: great fun having you in the studio. thank you so much. >> it has been a pleasure being on. >> bill: congratulations on winning re-election to your second term as well. >> thank you. >> bill: we'll see you again. i'll be back to tell you what the president is up to today. busy schedule at the white house. >> announcer: this is the "bill press show."

start you morning with a daily dose of politics from a fresh perspective. >>i'm a slutty bob hope. the troops love me. >>only on current tv. [ ♪ theme ♪ ] >> announcer: this is the "bill press show." >> bill: all right. victoria jones from talk radio news network joining us at the top of the next hour. president obama very busy today

at the white house. he and the vice president will get the daily briefing this morning at 10:00. at 11:35 in the south court auditorium of the old executive office building next door to the white house the president will be meeting with middle class americans whose taxes would go up if congress fails to act to extend those middle class tax cuts. then this afternoon the president will be holding a cabinet meeting. the vice president, of course will be there as well. and at 4:45 this afternoon the president and the vice president attend a meeting with business leaders to discuss the actions we need to keep our economy growing and find a balanced approach to reduce our deficit. all of those meetings, of course, aimed at building support for and putting congress on -- pressure on congress to act to pass the tax cuts for 98% of americans. jay carney with a briefing at 12:30 today. i'll be there and tell you about

it tomorrow. back with victoria jones. only citi price rewind automatically searches for the lowest price. and if it finds one, you get refunded the difference. just use your citi card and register your purchase online. have a super sparkly day! ok. [ male announcer ] now all you need is a magic carriage. citi price rewind. buy now. save later.

[ ♪ theme ♪ ] >> bill: good morning friends and neighbors and welcome to the "full court press" this wednesday morning november 28 on current tv. good to see you this morning. we're booming out to you live all the way across this great land of ours from current tv, from our studio here on capitol hill in washington d.c. where the members of the house and the members of the senate are back in town. ready to sit down, one would hope and work out a deal on the fiscal cliff. but republicans are angry that

president obama is going back on the road this week to seek support, build support among the american people for that tax break for 98% of americans. mitch mcconnell insists president obama instead should be sitting down with him and john boehner. baloney! president obama learned a long time ago didn't he, that any time spent time with mitch mcconnell and john boehner is a total waste of time. we'll get into that and a whole lot more. first, take time out here at the top of the hour to get the latest, today's current news update from lisa ferguson out in los angeles. hi lisa. good morning. >> hey bill, good morning everyone. congress is back in session and bill mentioned what we're seeing from the republicans. here's what we're seeing from the democrats. they are starting to draw a hard line over entitlement benefits now during the talks over the fiscal cliff. their latest message to republicans is hands off. both social security and medicare.

yesterday, senate majority whip durbin called to keep benefits off the table during the fiscal cliff negotiations. that means focusing only on raising taxes and cutting spending. other democrats though are willing to concede on some programs like medicaid but they are saying no drastic changes and they will only accept small cuts if republicans agree to raise taxes. there is some pressure coming from capitol hill to agree to a grand bargain quickly. mainly so that congress can reach a deal before the end of the year. but if the president does go for a plan that ends up slashing entitlements, he can definitely expect an uprising from the democrats. in addition to the fiscal cliff congress will need to also deal with a debt ceiling. now harry reid is calling to combine the two saying that any budget deal must also include an increase in the country's borrowing powers. the white house's official stance that john boehner will have to raise the debt ceiling

but so far president obama is not requiring the two deals to happen simultaneously. more bill coming up. we'll be right back. alright, in 15 minutes we're i think the number one thing that viewers like about the young turks is that we're honest. they know that i'm not bs'ing them with some hidden agenda, actually supporting one party or the other. when the democrats are wrong, they know that i'm going to be the first one to call them out. they can question whether i'm right, but i think that the audience gets that this guy, to the best of his ability, is trying to look out for us.

[ ♪ theme ♪ ] >> announcer: broadcasting across the nation on your radio >> announcer: broadcasting across the nation on your radio and on current tv, this is the "bill press show." >> bill: the republican war on women continues. john mccain and lindsey graham leading the attack on susan rice. hey, good morning everybody. welcome. it is the "full court press." this wednesday morning. november 28th. so good to see you today. thank you for being part of the program. as we boom out to you live all the way across this great land of ours on your local progressive talk radio station. good for you. if you've got one.

you're lucky. on current tv, good to have you with us. so happy to welcome back in studio as a "friend of bill" for this entire hour, my colleague and buddy from the white house press briefing room, she covers white house for talk radio news, victoria jones. hey, victoria. >> good morning. >> bill: nice to see you. >> good to see you. >> bill: everything good? >> everything is stunning, stellar. >> bill: i'm sorry. i have been on vacation and so i've missed you and i was not even there for the biggest event of the year for me which is the pardon of the thanksgiving turkey. i hope you were there. >> i missed the pardon of the turkey. >> bill: no! >> i did miss it. i did miss cobbler and gobbler. >> bill: is that who they were this year? >> cobbler and gobbler. the white house had a competition online. it was very innovative but rather cruel so you could choose which of the two was to be pardoned. it is like sophie's choice, really? really? of course they do both get to

live out their lives at mt. vernon but you had to pick. one of them likes carly simon music. which i think is interesting. "you're so vain." one of them likes nothing with a fiddle. >> bill: that's more than i wanted to know. >> is it true that john mccain went out and killed two turkeys after obama pardoned two of them to sort of balance out the universe? >> yes, in fact what he did was first of all he watched the sarah palin pardoning video. >> classic video. >> classic. >> turkeys in the background. >> i've never watched it. >> really? >> i am a bit of an animal rights activist, as you know. >> bill: i know. >> i think they're delicious. >> thank you so much. we have a conversation about game. >> let's have it. >> game has to be hung before eaten. >> bill: if i could get a word in here, the host of this program, peter ogborn, dan

henning, phil backert, cyprian bowlding, our great team here this morning. we want to welcome them as well. >> happy wednesday. >> bill: i gotta share this with you. so this radio station in new orleans, wgno, they were talking about the david petraeus scandal. of course, gotta keep it alive. keep it alive. you and i radio talk show hosts, we need a guest who would be an expert on this david petraeus thing who might have some words of advice for paula broadwell. who would you find? who would you dig up? here she is. gennifer flowers. >> i would say good luck. baby you better buck it up because it is going to be one heck of a bull ride. >> bill: buck it up, baby, it is going to be one heck of a bull ride. gennifer flowers. >> okay then. >> bill: isn't that classic? >> that's an interesting choice of words. >> fascinating choice of words yeah. >> bill: all the way. i would love to be in on that conversation when she talks -- >> buckle up for the bull ride.

david petraeus -- >> call me, paula. i'll give you some really good advice. i have the benefit of 20/20 hindsight at this point. >> david petraeus must have been into some kinky stuff. >> bill: call me, baby. we've got so much to talk to victoria jones about. about fiscal cliff. about what's happening in egypt and gaza. we'll get right to it but first this is the "full court press." >> on this wednesday, other headlines making news, annual year-end lists are starting to come out. "gq" -- >> already? >> yes. "gq" has put out something different. the 25 least influential people of 2012. >> love it. >> they call these people so uninspiring that they should be rounded up and put on an iceberg. most important to us on that list, mitt romney! >> i knew he was going to be there on there. >> also on there madonna

celebrity chef guy fieri jerry sandusky's attorney, george zimmerman and lance armstrong and carlson. least influential people of the year. >> i don't agree with all of those. mitt romney simply belongs there. >> bill: i have never seen a candidate thrown under the bus so fast by his own party than mitt romney. >> yeah. >> he did help with the gifts. >> bill: do you think romney will ever be seen as a republican for the republican party? >> even late night tv. >> the bing search engine released its most searched news stories of the year. the london olympics, the election super storm sandy and honey boo-boo but the number one most searched was the iphone 5 which is maybe not the headline that bing wants since it is owned by microsoft.

iphone 5 owned by apple. >> bill: that is interesting. >> i have to get one. >> bill: silly girl. >> so many people have bought tickets for tonight's powerball drawing, the estimated jackpot has grown to $500 million the second highest lottery payout in u.s. history. mega millions saw the $656 million jackpot winner earlier this year. >> bill: there it is. i've got them. >> i'm getting five, too. >> bill: there is my quick pick. >> they're $2 though. >> cyprian has his now too he just showed. you've got competition. >> bill: competition in house here. >> bill has said if he wins, he's going to split the winnings with all of us here on the show. i thought it was really sweet. >> bill: you know i'm not that dumb. >> payout is about half that so it is about $250 million. you will be as rich as mitt romney. >> bill: mitt romney who was

seen buying a lottery ticket, too. so victoria, before we get to the news of the day if you'll forgive us please, because victoria and i do have a thing about animals and particularly about cats because i know you're a cat person. i just got back from istanbul. >> mm-hmm. >> bill: istanbul, the most strike thing i found about the city are the cats. >> yes. >> bill: everywhere. have you been there? >> no but i understand. >> bill: they're very healthy cats because people love the cats. seriously. courtyard of the blue mosque, cats. the front steps of hotels, cats. the front stoops of restaurants cats. in the streets, back and forth across the trolley tracks, never getting crushed by the trolleys because they're very smart, cats. and they're obviously very healthy cats. so i feel for the cats, of course. and i decide i'm going to help feed the cats so i go out to this -- we were -- carol and i were at a fish restaurant. i cut the head and the tail off my fish and i wrapped them in my

napkin and i took them with me because when we walked in the restaurant, there were two cats on the front steps and i thought i'm going to give those little kitties a gift when i leave. well somebody else beat me to it. when i walked out of the restaurant the owner of the restaurant was already out-front with a plate of fish, calling the cats by name and feeding them. so they care for their cats. isn't that great? >> that's fantastic. >> bill fell in love with the cats so much, he actually put one in his suitcase and brought it home. it didn't turn out so well. >> bill: i was ready so. carol said you can't do that. >> another reason to go to istanbul. >> bill: absolutely. so we were talking about john mccain and lindsey graham. what is behind this obsession and the personal attack on susan rice? >> it is very odd because you know, she had a meeting at her own request with all of these senators and she has more meetings today.

>> bill: yes. >> at first it wasn't clear when they came out and said they were more troubled at what the problem. then they put out a statement the essence of it seems to be that acting c.i.a. director michael morrell said that the talking points have been changed by the fbi because of an on-going criminal investigation. and they were very troubled by this because of course we had already been told it was the dni that changed them. then they got a call at 4:00 p.m. from the c.i.a., actually, no it wasn't. it was us. we changed them. so then they're going what the bleep is going on? they can't get their act straight. and yet the focus of their rage when they came out from the meeting was susan rice, not michael morrell. >> bill: right. so susan rice, first of all not responsible for security at consulates or embassies around the country. number two, she's not the one who wrote those intelligence reports or provided the material for the intelligence report that she -- the findings of which she simply read or reported on.

if the anger should be directed toward anybody it should be against the c.i.a. or the fbi or whoever did not have all of the facts right. but jon huntsman, the one republican making any sense on this issue came out yesterday and said of course they didn't know all of the facts at the time when something like that is going on. you never do. he said it is the fog of war. >> of course. which of course is what tom -- tom ricks said. >> bill: on fox news. >> the small fire fight as he referred to it. of course you don't know. of course you don't know. that's what -- everybody has said. of course, you don't know all of the facts. that's what i don't understand about this. they've all said you don't know all of the facts. even susan rice said that on the day that we don't know all of the facts. the facts are unfolding so i still don't understand the obsession and if you want an obsession, why don't you make your obsession -- why is it that the dod didn't have enough

military in place close enough to get there? why is it all of the military was seven hours away? i think that's a reasonable question. >> bill: that's a very legitimate question. why isn't our intelligence better? why wasn't it better in iraq, in afghanistan. and in libya. that's a legitimate question. but to take it out on susan rice. >> to focus on the sunday game shows, i think this is really weird. >> bill: more than weird, i think. so here is a theory that's been floated on our show this morning, i might tell you by a couple of our callers. i never even thought about this possibility. play it out. susan rice is so controversial that president obama cannot possibly nominate her. therefore he nominates john kerry. which opens up a senate seat in massachusetts for scott brown. >> i've already thought of that. >> bill: do you think that could be what this is all about? >> i think it could be what it is all about. it could also be about misogyny

and racism in addition although that doesn't count for kelly ayotte. she has her own tea party ambitions. >> bill: don't you think lindsey graham and john mccain brought her in so there is a woman in the room? >> i think she's happy to be used because she's ambitious. i think it is quite possible. even if she is nominated he could be off of dod. that's a possibility too. so it still opens up a slot for scott brown. >> bill: the other news, of course -- assuming he could win by the way. there is that. he just lost. >> bill: he just lost and there is also duval patrick and marquee standing by. it is not an automatic. i do want to ask about this. the lead headline in "the washington post" this morning you know this, of course from your perch at the white house obama launches p.r. effort on cliff. he's having these meetings with outside groups more than today. he's going on the road friday. mitch mcconnell is -- he's got his underpants in a snit over

this thing. >> rather than sitting down with lawmakers of both parties and working out an agreement he's back on the campaign trail. presumably with the same old talking points that we're all quite familiar with. >> bill: so president obama instead should be sitting down with me and john boehner. >> me actually because the president talked to john boehner and harry reid over the weekend. they are the key people to talk with mitch mcconnell is not a key person to be talked with at this point. he may come in and cut a deal at the end, actually because i think he may be key later. but isn't it interesting the house republicans are launching their own p.r. blitz now. >> bill: they've announced they're going to do a series of meetings around the country with small business leaders whatever. and also with entrepreneurs right, to try to still make the case that giving -- extending the bush tax cuts will create jobs. still keep trying to sell that

turkey. >> they also announced i think a new poll by republican research firm with very close ties to john boehner saying well, our new research shows that this is what the american people want. actually, there was research on november 6th that showed that's not what the american people want. it was quite extensive research. more than 2,000 people which is what i think their research is. >> bill: by the way, the gap. and the margin, president obama's margin keeps growing wider and wider. it is going to be 4% margin by the time it's over with. >> i think mitt romney's share is 47% right? >> yeah, right. >> bill: victoria jones in studio with us. 1-866-55-press. join the conversation here. look forward to hearing from you and continuing with victoria jones when we come back. >> announcer: this is the "full court press." the "bill press show" live on your radio and on current tv.

building up to this. >>bill shares his views, now it's your turn. >>i know you're going to want to weigh in on these issues. >>connect with "full court press with bill press" at facebook.com/billpressshow and on twitter at bpshow. >>i believe people are hungry for it.

we have a big, big hour and the i.q. will go way up. how are you ever going to solve the problem if you don't look at all of the pieces? >>tv and radio talk show host stephanie miller rounds out current's morning news block. >>you're welcome current tv >>sharp tongue, quick whit and above all, politically direct. >>you just think there is no low they won't go to. oh, no. if al gore's watching today...

>> announcer: this is the "bill press show." live on your radio and current tv. >> bill: joe cirincione is our >> announcer: heard around the country and seen on current tv this is the "bill press show." >> bill: you've got it. 25 minutes after the hour here on the "full court press." this wednesday morning. november 28. victoria jones from talk radio news in studio with us. peter, what's up on the social network world. >> you can find us on twitter at bpshow. great way to follow along with the show. we tweet stuff out. stories you're talking about. follow us there at -- >> bill: who tweeted us the other day. >> april ryan. >> it was about black friday. her daughter was trying to get her to go out to black friday

and she didn't go. >> i went out on saturday. >> i waited until saturday. >> is that where you got the nasty stab wound? >> i waited until 6:00 on saturday too. yeah. but i was aware a lot of stuff would have gone but i couldn't deal. >> on twitter about lindsey graham, john mccain and kelly ayotte nelson says condy rice was our national security adviser before and during 9-11. where were graham, ayotte and mccain's voices there? maggie says mccain looks senile. graham looks snarky and ayotte looks like an opportunist. your three amigos. >> bill: joe lieberman who was the third amigo, he said this is foolish. he was very satisfied with his meeting with susan rice and thinks she's telling truth and that wants nothing to do with the attacks. >> so does the american public.

the cnn poll showed the american public, while they feel they haven't handled it well, certainly doesn't feel that they're willing lied to. >> bill: susan is calling us from rockford, illinois. hey, susan, good morning. >> caller: hi, susan rice didn't do a thing wrong. geraldo rivera admitted on his tv show, i watched it, he congratulated himself on coining the phrase benghazi gate -- >> of course he did. >> caller: and that's thousand all got started. it was a plan, i'm sure there was money involved. somebody got paid for making up the story. that woman didn't do a thing wrong. it was b.s. from the beginning. i think geraldo needs to serve community service for you know, i feel abused for him adding to my anxiety on tv. it is not true. >> bill: thank you susan. actually if geraldo served a prison term for everything he took credit for, he would be there for life. >> benghazi gate, where did you come up with that, geraldo? >> i'm waiting for them to

really seriously start circling hillary clinton. kelly ayotte in her statement yesterday indicated that that's where she's headed. >> bill: oh, really. >> yeah. >> bill: the other thing i thought that lindsey graham may have inadvertently let the cat out of the bag. back to cats again, yesterday, when he said i remember what happened with john bolton. so this could be payback time for democrats blocking the nomination. >> ooh interesting. >> bill: as u.n. ambassador under george bush. and bush ended up appointing him as an interim appointment or whatever they call that. right? >> which he can't do anymore. >> bill: so that could be what this is all about. but of course, john bolton is the one who said we ought to lop off the top ten floors of the u.n. he was hardly qualified to be u.n. ambassador. victoria jones in studio with us. we'll be joined very shortly by dan from the center for american progress. keep the conversation going.

>> announcer: this is the "bill press show." >>i jump out of my skin at people when i'm upset. do you share the sense of outrage that they're doing this, this corruption based on corruption based on corruption. >>i think that's an understatement, eliot. u>> i'm not prone tot. understatement, so explain to me why that is. i think the mob learned from wall st., not vice versa.

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>> announcer: heard around the country and seen on current tv this is the "bill press show." >> bill: you've got it. 33 minutes after the hour. happy wednesday. and welcome back to the "full court press" here. coming to you live from our nation's capital. with the help this morning of victoria jones from talk radio news here as a "friend of bill." always good to have you in studio, victoria. >> thank you. >> bill: thank you. we're joined by daniella, return appearance here on the "full court press" from the center for american progress where she is -- she has a very powerful title. the vice president for american

values and new communities. whoa! you must have a business card this big. >> it is very small print. that's the way we do it. >> bill: all right. welcome. so the big -- house is back. the senate is back. and they've got what? two weeks now to save us all from going over the fiscal cliff. are we going to -- are we going over the cliff or not daniella. by the way another question is does it matter if we do? i hear more and more democrats saying what the hell. >> yeah. i hear that, too. but i also think that there are repercussions of going off the cliff. if we do, there is a lot of uncertainty that's out there. that will hurt businesses, small businesses, people who are planning. i think in the perfect scenario, you don't want to go off the cliff. i understand where they're coming from but i don't think that should be the posture that we're taking. >> bill: to elaborate on the point a little bit it is not a

cliff so much as it is a slope right? >> right. >> bill: ten years. so the first year is a 3%. >> right. so it is more of a slope a decline, if you will instead of a cliff. but right now if you look at the world economy we're doing okay. we're not doing great. but i think there might be domino effects if we go over the slope, cliff whatever you want to call it and then the world market starts reacting. we could see unemployment go back up. all of this -- the stock market will go down. i think there are more repercussions for going off the cliff than people realize when they say we should go off and start from scratch. now that said if we do go off the cliff, people need to be very clear about whose fault that is. it is the house republicans. they can right now, pass the tax cuts for the middle class. get that out of the way. we can figure out what to do for the top 2% of earners. a lot of republicans are giving good lip service saying we do want to pass the tax cuts.

then do it. dick durbin was at the center for american progress today talking about this. okay if that's what you want to do, do it. a bill has passed the senate. pass the tax cuts for the middle class we say we agree on. we can figure out the other. >> bill: tom cole, one of the top republicans in the house is the first one that i've seen who really broke ranks as a member of the leadership and told the republican caucus yesterday if we were smart, we would just vote for that tax cut for the 98% and get that out of the way. do you think it is going to happen? >> no. i don't think it is going to happen. i really don't think they're going to do it. i think they've locked themselves in. i think they have this position that it has to be all or nothing and i just don't think they're going to do it. i really think that they are absolutely bound and determined that it is going to be their way. i think that the mitt romney position is their position. i think that they absolutely

believed -- >> bill: isn't it political suicide? >> that's what i think. >> they believe that the president's position is something that he needs to move away from. mitch mcconnell was clear about this. his position is untenable and that he needs to move from it toward them by toward them, he means to their position entirely. >> bill: which is to -- allow all of the tax cuts to continue including the tax cuts for the wealthy. >> to only have these loopholes which they haven't specified except bob corker from tennessee who's come out with a very, very detailed plan which is going to be unpopular but at least he's come up with a plan. >> he's the only person who says something. they keep saying we're all for revenues but you're right. it is only closing loopholes. they haven't said which loopholes they're going to close. again, that doesn't put enough money on the table. so they're trying to confuse people by saying oh, look, forget grover norquist, we're all about revenues.

it is about revenues versus rates. they don't want to touch the top rate. that's the problem. if they think the president is going to budge they've got another thing coming. >> bill: meanwhile let's stick to grover norquist for a second. because we have seen in the last few days, saxby chambliss lindsey graham, peter king, bob corker is the other one who said we're not bound by this. we don't feel we're bound by this pledge anymore. chuck schumer yesterday dan indicating that this -- he sees this as a good sign. >> republicans in both the house and senate are deciding they no longer want to be married to this pledge. republicans are saying they want a divorce from grover norquist. that alone is a leading indicator that the fiscal deal is within reach. both sides are still far apart. the discussions over the next few weeks will be difficult but with each new republican disavowing grover norquist, the chances of a deal rises sharply.

>> bill: daniella, is grover over? >> oh, please, lord, let it be true! you know, i think so. there was a funny thing politico arena they ask these questions every day. one of the questions a couple of days ago was is grover norquist's reign over. the first person who responded was grover norquist. no. republicans are -- blah, blah, blah. >> bill: he says his pledge is the same as your major vows. once -- your marriage vows. once you take them, they're good forever. >> who is this unelected man? it is really outrageous. i think that his reign of terror is about to be over. and you know this is a real -- it is a good first step that people are disavowing him and now it's like well what's next? what do you mean when you say you're going to step away from the pledge? >> bill: do you buy that, victoria? >> i think there is a level of narcissism about grover norquist that is fascinating.

>> it is fascinating. >> i think that any republicans should feel unbound by this pledge. because it's really a pledge to do nothing even in the event of war or invasion from mars or anything to ever change any rate. that includes loopholes. >> bill: i'll be the skeptic at the table. i don't believe anything the republicans are saying. i think it is pure lip service. they're saying well, we're for revenues. but we're not for increasing tax rates on the wealthiest and we can do it all with loopholes unspecified loopholes and there has to be entitlement reform which means getting rid of medicare and by the way they haven't voted for anything yet. so you know -- i think they're trying to have it both ways. >> it is easy to say all of this stuff. once there is a plan in place we can see how much they really mean it. >> there is another piece, there are two other pieces. one they want to go off to medicaid which the medicaid

doesn't want to do with obama care and the debt ceiling. which is coming into it. >> i think he's sadly mistaken. if they're going to try to push the debt ceiling into this conversation, i imagine the white house is going to smack them back really hard. >> bill: but there is a whole group of democrats who have urged the president -- i think it makes some sense. not to conclude a deal on the fiscal cliff that does not include some resolution of the debt ceiling. otherwise you're going to come back january 1 and the first thing there's going to be is another fiscal cliff. another fiscal crisis over the debt ceiling so i think -- there's some thinking, let's get it all out of the way done. >> now mitch mcconnell says filibuster reform may jam the works of everything, too. >> they're just so ridiculous. get over it. you lost the election. and now you have to govern.

you were elected to govern, not just to sit there and throw up roadblocks to everything that needs to happen. put the country first before -- >> bill: glad you raised that. to me, that's what's missing this whole conversation. maybe i'm wrong. i have been on vacation for ten days but didn't we have an election on november 6th where these were the very issues that were the heart of this campaign. the campaign was not about the war in iraq or the war in afghanistan or the gaza strip or whatever. it was about how we deal with this fiscal crisis. facing the country. mitt romney -- victoria and president obama put forth two very different -- and the american people spoke. >> the answer to that is we won the house. and we won our individual teeny-weeny districts and -- they said the president won a second term. i won a third term. >> really? >> that's what he said. he said that. >> oh, my goodness. >> bill: count the votes. they also lost seats in the

house, too. >> exactly. 500,000 people voted for the democrats more in the house overall and gerrymandering and all of that stuff. please. >> bill: from fiscal cliff. and now president obama is going to take his arguments on the road. his plan on the road again. should he be doing that or should he be sitting down with mitch mcconnell and john boehner. we'll be talking about that with victoria and daniella. welcome you to the conversation. 1-866-55-press. we'll be right back on the "full court press." >> announcer: this is the "bill press show" live on your radio and current tv. human being, that's really important. this is not just a spectator sport.

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we have a big, big hour and the i.q. will go way up. how are you ever going to solve the problem if you don't look at all of the pieces? >>tv and radio talk show host stephanie miller rounds out current's morning news block. >>you're welcome current tv audience for the visual candy. >>sharp tongue, quick whit and above all, politically direct. >>you just think there is no low they won't go to. oh, no. if al gore's watching today... [ ♪ theme ♪ ]

>> announcer: this is the "full court press." the "bill press show." live on your radio and on current tv. >> bill: hey, it is 14 minutes before the top of the hour here on this wednesday morning. november 28. before we get back to the issues of the day for the last two days, you have heard at this time of the program in our programs both me and stephanie miller ask for your help for the salvation army. contest we've been running here on current tv. we are no longer going to be part of that contest. neither stephanie nor me. it will no longer continue here on current tv. and we will tell you more about that and explain why when i join stephanie in the third hour of her show at 11:00 eastern this morning. so stay tuned for that. just want to let you know what's going on. we're back -- in our conversation here with victoria jones from talk radio news.

covers the white house for talk radio news and with daniella legg of the center for american progress. before we get to our calls i do have to ask you both, so the president is going out on the road and mitch mcconnell is very upset about that. he thinks that rather than going out and reaching out to the american people, fling as ronald reagan used to do when he was in the white house he thinks he ought to be sitting down with him. >> god forbid the president get out and talk to the american people. of course mitch mcconnell don't want him to go -- doesn't want him to go out. as soon as he explains to the american people it is the republicans in congress who are blocking their tax cut or who are going to make their taxes go up in january the harder it is for them and puts them in a corner. mitch mcconnell is going to say why don't you stay home and talk to me as if he really wants to negotiate with the president. >> there is another piece to this too. also. first of all there are staff

level meetings going on which aren't going terribly well. the staff level meetings have to take place and they have to go reasonably well before there can be a meeting between the president and the big four. so let's have the staff level meetings -- >> bill: for them to walk into a meeting -- and get there. >> bill: for them to walk into a meeting without a plan in place, basically right or at least the outlines of an agreement in place would be chaos. >> they know that. >> you know, so if he is saying -- there is a lot of theatre going on here. >> bill: i asked the question about how much was really accomplished the last time we had a little fiscal crisis to deal with which was whether or not to raise the debt ceiling. how much was really accomplished in those endless meetings, victoria. that the president had with john boehner and eric cantor and mitch mcconnell. >> quite a lot was accomplished in the meeting. they got to quite a good deal. >> bill: boehner and obama

did. >> boehner and obama did but then it was kiboshed by the republicans. >> bill: by cantor and boehner who were a part of the meetings. the president realizes you can't get much done with them unless you do have a lot of pressure from the outside on the republican -- which is why he's meeting with small business leaders, middle class americans big business leaders going up to this toy factory in pennsylvania on friday. and again ronald reagan very effectively rallied the american people behind what he wanted. >> i think they learned a lesson of the last fiscal cliff. they realize they need to get out vand popular support. not just from the people but for business leaders. i think it is the business leaders who are going to put the pressure on the republicans to do something. >> bill: nick is calling from madison, wisconsin. the republican, madison. we love it. >> caller: first time caller. glad to be on. >> bill: glad you're here. >> caller: i really just have to say that i'm absolutely

disgusted with the grover norquist thing. this is a man who never ran for office and yet the republicans who were voted into office are following him like he's the pied piper. they talk about loopholes and ways to help increase revenues. things that they're not actually going to tell us what they want to do. they just want to do it. and one of those things that they're looking at is raising the taxes on gas prices. and i think -- it is ridiculous. they're saying that they would rather raise the cost of gas for everybody nationwide, people who are already having difficulty putting fuel in their vehicles to get their kids to school and get to work instead of saying hey, let's just make the people who are making more money pay a fair share. not necessarily more than anybody else but a fair share. >> bill: yeah. >> caller: act like that's ludicrous. >> bill: nick, thank you for the call. i have to add that 14% is not necessarily a fair share. i don't know that the

republicans are talking about raising gas taxes. >> i haven't heard that either. i can't comment. >> bill: on the grover norquist thing it is -- you touched on it before. about his narcissism but the fact that it is like -- if i have my number right, it is 235 members of the house i believe and 41 u.s. senators who signed this pledge. all but two of them are republicans. why? grover norquist really doesn't have a lot of power and he has -- he's not like the koch brothers with sheldon adelson with a lot of money. i mean -- but he is not elected as you pointed out to anything. what if democrats had signed a pledge that we will not do anything unless we have the approval of the afl-cio? >> could you imagine? >> can you imagine? >> that would be crazy. >> bill: that's what this is like. >> yes, it is. >> norquist was saying well basically, you signed the pledge to the people of your state.

you didn't sign a pledge to me. so you're responsible to the people of your state. that's what he's saying about saxby chambliss who of course, had the nerve to say that he didn't consider himself bound by it. >> bill: i just seem -- it seems to me that these members do -- too much on my soapbox here, they take one oath. that's the only oath that ought to matter. uphold the constitution of the united states and to serve the people that elected you. >> the people. >> not the person. >> bill: and to sign any other pledge it violates their constitutional oath, i believe. >> i agree. it is ridiculous. >> bill: so maybe grover isn't over. this hour is over. i know that. too bad because it is great having both of you in studio here. victoria jones we'll see at the white house later. busy day today at the white house. nice to see you. daniella legg, you and all of our friends at the center for american progress, thank you for

your good work. >> thank you. >> bill: i'll be back with the parting shot coming up. >> announcer: this is the "bill press show." smiles make more smiles. when the chocolate is hershey's.

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[ ♪ theme ♪ ] >> >> announcer: the parting shot with bill press. >> announcer: the parting shot with bill press. this is the "bill press show." >> bill: on this wednesday november 28, my parting shot for today, well, if you thought the politics of personal destruction was over, think again. we've never seen a more ugly war of personal destruction than the one that republicans led by john mccain and lindsey graham with the help of fox news, of course, are waging against susan rice. you know, they accuse susan rice, of course, of deliberately

misleading the american people, lying to the american people about what happened in benghazi. they're dead wrong on every count. first of all the united nations ambassador has nothing to do with security at u.s. embassies or consulates around the world. that's the state department's job. second all susan rice did was relay on the sunday talk shows and in front of congress what the intelligence agencies had told us at the time about what was happening in benghazi and she told them right up-front from the beginning that these reports may prove not to be accurate. that's all we knew at the time. the truth is we still don't know what triggered that incident in benghazi. one thing we do know for sure, you ought to blame the terrorists not blame susan rice. tomorrow senator chris kuhns will be in the studio with us from the good state of delaware. the first state the blue hen state. have a great day. we'll see you back here again tomorrow.